Adjustable height ironing tables



SePt- 18, 1962 D. c. sTElNwEDl-:L 3,054,200

ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT IRONING TABLES Filed Feb. l, 1960 FIG-1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,054,200 ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT IRONING TABLES Delmar C. Steinwedel, Seymour, Ind., assignor to Seymour Tool 8c Engineering Co., Inc., Seymour, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Feb. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 6,004 1 Claim. (Cl. 38-121) This invention relates particularly to ironing tables having height adjustments for the top thereof to facilitate ironing from standing or seated positions, and particularly to a novel height adjustment mechanism for such tables.

Various height adjustments for ironing tables have been proposed, most of which require that a lever operated lock mechanism or the like be manipulated to secure the supporting legs of the table in different positions relative to its top, and thus to vary the height of the top. The -usual leg construction includes a pair of pivotally connected crossed legs, one of which has a fixed pivot or hinge connection with the top, and the fixed connection ordinarily is at the rear or wide end of the top. The other leg is then provided with an adjustable connection with the top, usually beneath the fore section thereof which is normally tapered, and accommodating sufficient relative movement between the other leg and the top to provide for a range of movement of the legs relative to the top between a folded position, in which the legs are collapsed completely against the top, and an erected full height position in which the legs extend in crossed relation from the top at the maximum angle thereto for accommodating a standing position of the user. The height adjustment may provide for positioning of the legs at one or lmore intermediate positions where the -top is supported at a level (or levels) below the full height position.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a novel, easily operated height adjusting connection between the legs of an ironing table and the top thereof, eliminating the need to manipulate levers or the like in changing the height of the top.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a height controlling connection including a plurality of abutment pieces, preferably in the formA of hook members, which are each mounted for swinging movement on the under surface of the ironing table top, being free to swing under the effect or influence of gravity, and thus movable between extended or retracted positions relative to the top in accordance with positioning of the top in relatively horizontal or vertical positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a height adjustment construction wherein each latching hook includes a stop means ldefining the extreme position thereof in response to engagement of the hook -with a cross rod on the leg, maintaining engagement between the hook and cross rod.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is -a somewhat schematic View of an ironing table of the type with which the present invention is concerned, showing the full height position in full lines and an intermediate height position in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of the under surface of the table top, showing the general arrangement of the adjustable connection between one of the legs and the table top;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged `detail view of one of the abutment or latching hooks provided by the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line ICC 5-5 of FIG. 3, showing the latching hook in retracted position, and in addition showing in full and dotted lines the relative location of the cross bar extending from the adjust-able leg;

FIG. 6 is a View taken in the same direction as FIG. 5, showing the latching hook in an extended position for engagement with the leg cross bar; and

FIG. 7 is a similar view with the top in its normal horizontal position for use, showing the manner in which the latching hook retains the legs in the desired position for the selected height.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, an ironing table in accordance with the invention includes a top or table structure 10, which may be of any conventional type, constructed of wood, expanded metal, perforated sheet metal, or of similar known construction. For purposes of assembly, the top 10 is illustrated in FIG. 2 as of the sheet metal type having dependent edge flanges 12, longitudinal reinforcing ribs 13, and transverse ribs 14. Details of such a table top construction are shown in United States Patent No. 2,766,537, which is assigned to the assignee of this application.

The supporting leg structure for the top includes a leg 1-5 which has a xed pivotal connection |16 at the rear or wide end of the top 10, and which also has a pivotal connection 18, intermediate its ends, with another leg 20. These legs may be provided by singular tubular members, and preferably have transverse feet 22, or equivalent stabilizing structure, at their lower or iioor engaging ends. The upper end of leg 20 is provided with an adjustable connection to the top 10, indicated by the general reference numeral 25, which provides for fold- -ing of the legs and for the height control.

This adjustable or sliding connection is provided by a cross member 27 which may be suitably formed by a triangular lstamping having its wide end rolled to a hollow rod-like configuration 28, and being secured to the end of leg 20 by rivets 29 or other suitable means. Opposite ends of the cross rod 28 are received in tracks 30` which are secured, for example by spot welding, tothe transverse ribs 14, and which form a guide means on the under surface of the top providing for movement of the cross rod in a plane substantially parallel to the top. vThe length of the tracks 30 is such as to accommodate scissors movement of the legs t15 and 20 between the full height position thereof, shown in full lines in FIG. l, and a fully lretracted or folded position wherein the legs swing against the under surface of the top. In the latter position the cross rod 28 will move fully to the left as viewed in FIGS. l and 2.

y The cross rod 28, and thus the leg 20, is selectively retained in a plurality of positions, providing height adjustment, by latching hook means which are so loca-ted along the rails 30 as to deiine the desired angularity between the legs and the top necessary to obtain preselected heights of the top relative to the feet 22. For example, a sui-table stand-up height is approximately thirty-two and onehalf inches, and Ia comfortable sit-down height may be about twenty-seven and one-half inches, illustrated in FIG. l in the full and dotted line positions, respectively.

Each of the latching hook means is of essentially identical construction, and thus it will be understood that a detailed description of one applies also to the other. Referring to FIGS. 2-4, a plate 35 is fastened between the rails 30 and is provided with slots 36 through which extend the ears 37 of a U-shaped mounting piece 38 which is secured, as by spot welding, to plate 35. The ears 37 provide a mounting for a pin or axle 40 which carries a generally U-shaped latching or abutment piece 42 having a connecting section 43 and hook members 45 formed at opposite ends thereof. It will be noted that the hook members 45 extend to one side of the pin or axle 40, and approximately 90 around the axis of the pin from the cross section 43. Thus, the hooks 45, by reason of their greater length from the axis of pin 40, provide an eccentric weight which will produce pivoting or swinging movement of the latching hooks about the pin tending to position the hooks essentially vertically beneath the pin when the latching member is allowed to rotate freely under the influence or force of gravity and the top is in its normal horizontal position in use.

The same latching hook. structure is provided at the full height position, and in the present construction the only difference is that the member 38 is mounted on, and extends through, slots in the transverse cross member 14, eliminating the need for -a further plate 35.

Accordingly, if the table top is placed on its -wide or base end, extending in a generally vertical position, the hooks 45 of all the latching devices will tend to rotate through the slots 36 and toward the under surface of the top, thus moving to a retracted position where the cross rod 28 can slide over the latching hooks, for example from the full line position to the dotted line position as shown in FIG. 5. Depending upon the weight of the hook members 45, it may be desirable to tilt the table from a substantially vertical position slightly backward, for example at an inclination such as shown in FIG. 5, to assure that the hook members swing sufciently into the retracted position as not to obstruct free Sliding movement of cross bar 28 in the rails 30.

When it is desired to engage the cross bar with a selected latching hook, the table is positioned substantially vertically, and by manipulation of the legs the cross bar 28 is located slightly below the latehing hook to which it will be engaged. By then leaning or inclining the top forward, toward its erected position, the latching hooks 45 will swing outwardly of their receiving slots 36 and across the plane of movement of cross bar 28. Continued movement of the cross bar into engagement with the hook, as shown in the sequence of FIGS. 6 and 7, will cause a secure engagement of the cross bar 28 with the hooks on the desired abutment piece 42. In the fully engaged position, with the top horizontal as shown in FIG. 7, the weight of the table will tend to separate and collapse the legs, thus forcing the cross rod 28 into the latching hooks 45, and at the same time the cross member 43 on the abutment piece will engage the supporting plate 35 (0r the under side of rib 14, as the case may be) providing a stop which effectively limits the movement of the abutment piece.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel height control for ironing tables which may be effectively engaged and disengaged merely by manipulating the position of the top and the legs, to produce a swinging movement of the gravity responsive latch members as desired for latching or un'latching. The latch members are of essentially simple and inexpensive construction, being formed preferably from metal stampings or the like which may easily be shaped to the desired configurations. It should be understood that while the disclosed embodiment illustrates only a full height and one intermediate height position, additional intermediate positions can readily be provided by multiplying the number of gravity latching members in accordance with the additional positions desired.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An adjustable height ironing table comprising a top and a pair of legs for supporting said top, one of said legs having a fixed pivotal connection with said top, the other of said legs having a sliding connection with said top, means interconnecting said legs for coaction thereof to establish erected positions of said table with the legs extending a predetermined distance therebeneath and a folded position with the legs extending along the under surface of said top, said sliding connection including a cross bar on the end of said other leg and guide means on the under surface of said top receiving Said cross bar and defining the path of movement thereof relative to said top, a plurality of abutment pieces at predetermined positions along said guide means for defining the location of said cross bar to support said top in a full erected position and at least one intermediate height erected position, each said abutment piece being formed from a unitary member having a connecting section and latching hooks extending from opposite ends of said section, mounting pins extending through the base of said hooks adjacent said connecting section of each said abutment piece mounting the associated said piece for swinging movement across the path of movement of said cross bar in response to the force of gravity as the attitude of said top is changed between vertical and horizontal, said hooks opening in a direction opposed to the movement of said cross bar from an erected position of said legs to the folded position thereof providing for interlocking engagement between said cross bar and a selected pair of said hooks to maintain said cross bar at a predetermined location and to prevent collapse of said legs to the folded position thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,016,195 Gregory Oct. l, 1935 2,293,807 Brock Aug. 25, 1942 2,424,734 Booth July 29, 1947 2,661,554 Siczkiewicz et al. Dec. 8, 1953 2,693,652 Kutz Nov. 9, 1954 2,760,286 Voight et al Aug. 28, 1956 

